Well you know what Jeff Foxworthy says: if you see a 3 year old running around in a diaper at a flea market with a babybottle full of Coca-Cola, you can be sure he's a future Nascar fan!

Scarlett---what a hoot! Wonder if she knew what caffeine does to the afternoon nap?

Ira, I was almost angry enough to write a letter to the mfg. when Children's Tylenol simultaneously eliminated the sugar and the alcohol in their product. The sugar made it taste good (**enough to eat**) and the 11 or 12% alcohol was just enough to make sure naptime rolled around a bit sooner---like, 15 minutes after taking the medicine. I never wrote the letter because I didn't want any "crazy mom" inquiries.

Kwsl

"Wonder if she knew what caffeine does to the afternoon nap?"

Coffee sends me to sleep - one cup and I'm drowsy! Pity really because I love the taste, I just know to avoid anything with caffeine (tea, cola) because it makes me tired.

Maybe the baby in question has a similar metabolism, lol. I know that after years of dire warnings about coffee (cancer of the pancreas, diuretic effects of, CNS problems attributed to, etc.) it is now hailed as a healthful antioxidant.

I guess if we can stick around long enough, biscuits will similarly be labeled a health food. (Not too sure about the cream gravy, though. I think that's destined to be trailer-park, heart-attack food forever.)

Hi kswl,

>Not too sure about the cream gravy, though. I think that's destined to be trailer-park, heart-attack food forever.

Some fat is necessary for a proper diet; as are carbohydrates, calcium and other nutrients from milk, and protein from the milk and sausage.

Biscuits with cream gravy are good for you.

I am not saying that all Americans are fat etc....

What I am saying is that this sort of food that we are talking about is not something that I can imagine eating on a daily basis, and anyone who did would soon come to resemble the Hindenburg.

A couple of English type foods are mentioned – afternoon tea (which natives have about three times in their life ever) and deep fried candy bars. These are a Scottish delicacy and not for the faint hearted. Scotland has the worst coronary rates in Europe – it’s no surprise really (they also smoke like chimneys and drink like very thirsty fish).

That’s why I was asking if this was daily food or more of an occasional treat.

Also I am far from an advert for the “thin European” stereotype (although in my case it’s beer not cakes that are my downfall).

In any case I don’t care about whether or not the yanks are fat. I’m more put out by what’s gone so dreadfully wrong with their hair.

Oh, David, I do love your posts. They're always good for a chuckle.

I'm sure that for most of us biscuits with gravy or biscuits in the manner I prefer them,with butter and jam are an occasional treat. But, what is this about afternoon tea being an untrue stereotype of English society? I'm shocked.

Last time I looked, this thread was about cookies and biscuits. Why the big surprise that it involves sugar and fat?

If this thread were about salads, people would talk about salads. But it's not.

Oh, so now it's our hair!

Must be a northern European thing, all this lard, sugar and so forth. Much traditional American food, especially the sweet stuff, isn't a lot different to what my (Australian) parents and grandparents dished up, passed down from Anglo-Celtic forebears who lived in colder climes, worked harder, got more exercise. No grits or white gravy (except on cauliflower) though. And no deep-fried Mars bars either, thank God.

Now 30% of our kids are overweight or obese as a result of sloth and gluttony, actively encouraged by the food and beverage industry and ferried everywhere by car by neurotic parents afraid that their little fatsos will be mugged for their fast-food money on the way to school. Have a heart attack from the exertion, more likely.

Yes, we're also a nation of slobs, and the popularity of lighter Italian and Asian fare hasn't halted the epidemic. In fact half the clientele in our local McDonalds are Chinese-Australians. Pretty sad, isn't it?

Like David, I blame the publicans of this country for my own plight, certainly not my mum's scones.

What!? The publicans tie you down and force-feed you fermented grain beverages until you develop extra body mass?

Neil, I told you before, that ghastley goo on cauliflower is called "white sauce". Makes me want to gag to this day to think about it. LOL!!!

I sometimes have been offended by comments about the weight of the average American not only on this board but elsewhere.

Well I know get it. I spent two days at the local AirForce Base airshow this last weekend. Honestly, I was appalled at how heavy my fellow citizens have become. And this is not a "snobbish" comment, it is a comment based on the worry about the health of all these people. I stood and watched how many "snacks and cold drinks" they purchased, what they fed their children, how so many could hardly walk properly. No wonder we are known as such an overweight population.

And what irritated me is that I got hungry and thirsty. There was absolutely no place to buy a salad, some fruit, something decent to eat. And as far as drinks it almost seemed like the booth selling beer was perhaps more healthy then all the numerous booths selling the sodapops. I didn't want a beer so I just went without.

I wish that schools, charities, etc. would start having an alternative in what they sell at these events.

That white gloop on cauliflower is cheese sauce (at least it should be.) It's a classic blond roux with cheese grated in. I rather like it. Mind you, I'm a public schoolboy and we're notorious for liking nursery food (see my email address for proof)

David - who could quite go a snake and pygmy pud followed by drowned babies right now.

Hey DW,

>...a snake and pygmy pud followed by drowned babies ...<

Translation, please.

Snake and pygmy pud is a mix of two snakes for every one pygmy in a savoury gravy, cooked in a suet pastry case. It really is fabulous. It’s near relative snake and pygmy pie is pretty nice too.

Drowned babies are suet sponge puddings (that look like babies heads) drowned in custard – so you have a lake of custard with two small round “heads” poking out.

Drowned babies are served with ordinary custard – cat’s bum custard is usually served on it’s own.

Cheese sauce on cauliflower is great if it's really cheesy.

DW, I didn't go to a "public" school, but we had fantastic lunches (waaay back in the 60s!). Pretty stodgey looking back on it, but they tasted very good and were very popular and almost everyone ate them. They can't have been any worse for us than the fat-and-sugar-laden junk our kids get in school now.

All this talk of healthy food got me thinking...

Does anybody here actually eat Scotch eggs? (hard boiled eggs, wrapped in bacon&sausage, dipped in egg batter, coated with flour&bread crumbs, and deep fried in oil)

That's a new one on me, bardo. Sounds like something my DH would like.

Hi bardo, I have heard of Scotch eggs but have never eaten one, thank goodness (I think).

And David_West, nope, no cheese in that white glob that Neil is referring to. None in what was served to me either. It was poured over cauliflower, overcooked celery etc. Think it was just milk and flour but don't know the exact receipe. But absolutely no cheese. Cheese would have made such a big improvement I am sure! My English/Scot side of family made it (raised in Australia, what can I say?) LOL. Nastiest tasting sauce you ever ate. I think melted down white glue would have been preferable!

Scotch Eggs are delicious. They don't have any bacon,though. You usually eat them cold.